Friday 7 September 2018

WHEATEAR AND WHINCHAT

This afternoon I popped over to Blakehill Reserve hoping to see a possible wheatear and/or whinchat before they migrate.  It was quite sunny and warm, although chillier when the clouds covered the sun which they did from time to time.

I followed the track between the fields which are fenced off either side. The reserve used to be a military airfield and is quite open, but is now a nature reserve with meadow and pasture. Wheatears and whinchats are often seen perching on the fence posts at this time of year and I used my bincoculars regularly to check the posts ahead of me.

Sometimes I see very little in the way of birds, but today I managed to find both a wheatear and a whinchat. Perched up on the posts, they were easy to spot, but always liked to maintain their distance, flying off and landing again a few fence posts further away as I drew near. I also saw goldfinches on the thistles and a few swallows flying about, preparing for their migration too no doubt. 

wheatear





whinchat







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